Steering of coupled vehicles.



R. JONAS.

STEERING 0F COUPLED VEHICLES,

APPLICATION FILED FEET, 1908 Patented I Nov. 3, 1908.

2 SHBETSSHEET l.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD JONAS, OF CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY. ASSIGNOR TO FREIBAHN GES. II. B IL,

OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

surname or coormrn vnmcmrs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 100:.

The feature of the train forming the subject matter of this invention, is a special kind:

of dependency existing between the three vehicles combined to form one element, which dependency is such, that that member, which isfirst according to the ,directionof movement, is always free, while the two other members are in such connection, that they are always di'splacedin an antiparallel manner with regard to each other, the axle ofthe central member being com elled by means of a gear, preferably a'sproc et wheel gear, to always halve the angle between the two links attached to its central pivot.

The connection'for the members which, depending on the direction of movement, is in the rear, is preferably a sin le toothed gear and the tooth is made slida ly adjustable in. relation to a corresponding recess in the other member, so that the train is enabled to travel in two directions. If; the coupling is in gear with the rear vehicle a close en agement of the flanks of the tooth is obtained in any position owing to its shape.

hen rapidly traveling ong an even road, the tooth may be moved a slight distance into the opposite recess of the front vehicle so as to prevent too great a freedom of movement and a consequent oscillating or "rockin of the axles.

In t e accompanymgdrawings two forms of carrying out the mvention'are shown diagrammatmally.

Figure 1 shows one form of the invention in plan view, wherein the vehiclsare shown rounding. a curve in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 shows the triple element when traveling in a straight line. Fig. 3 shows-a slidable uide device for automatically adjusting t e axles when traveling over rough roads. Figs. 4 and 5 show thecentral veof which the followhicle according to a modification in plan view and section respectively.

The triple element of the train shown in Figs. 1 to 3, consists of a front member, a, a rear member, a, and a central member, 5, each of which forms a single axletwo wheeled cart or the like vehicle of" a known type. The members, a,} and, a, have the same shape while the central member, 5-, has a different and special shape. The carriage frame of this latter member is provided with .a special gear which, in well knownmanner,

will always adjust the axle of the wheels such that the angle between the links c, c connected with it by means of the central pivot b will be halved. The gear shown by way of example in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of guide rods, f, which are pivoted at relatively corresponding places of the links, a, c, at both sides of the central pivot, b, and m attached to cranks, g, arranged on shafts, It,

arallel to the longitudinal axis of the cart.

loreover toothed bolts, 1, d, are slidibl mounted on the central member, b, whic bolts are to engage in corresponding recesses, e, e, provided inthe adjacent ends of the vehicles, a, and, a The'bolts, d, are suitably actuated by means of toothed ing, the pinions, d, of which are manip from the central vehicle.

As will be seen from the drawi s the front vehicle, a, and the central-main er, b, are only connected with'each other b means of the link or pivoted rod, 0, whic connects their central pivots,.while the centralrneinber, b, and the rearvehicle, a, are in addition. thereto coupled by means ofthe coupling, d, e, so that a kind of antiparallel dopendgncy is obtained betweenthe'axles of,

an a.

Sinc e the axle of the central vehicle or member, b, halves the angle between the two ivoted rods or links, 0, each vehicle follows in the, track of the preceding vehicle, when traveling ina straight line or when rounding a curve, with an exactitude which is sufli- .c1ent in practice.

In the modification'show'n in Figs. 4 ad 5, sprocket wheel gears are used tor radial] adjusting the axle of the central ve iclc.

From suitable positions onlthe links, 0, syms metrically situated in relation to the central pivot, b, chains, s,' pass over the sprocket wheels, t, mounted on the two shafts, h. ar-v ranged parallel to-thelongitudinalaxis of the.

. rovided on the central vehicle, b, (Fig.-

e heads of the links, a, c, mounted on the pivot, 11, are made vertically adjustable in the upward direction by an amount e uivalent to the distance, as, and vertica y adjustable in the downward direction by an amount equivalent to the distance, y, in relation to the normal position. Thus it is possiblethat the central member, I), follows the unevennesses of the road without disturbing its connection with the outer members. For

It is' obvious that the sliding bolt, d, me to.

this reason, the sin le toothed connection is made sufiiciently yielding or adjustable in a vertical direction b correspondingly d1- mensioning the heig t of the'guides or ree, e. Further, suflicient' room for playisleftat the ivots ofthe links, 0, 'as Ina be seen from 3'- y e toothingof tie bolt, d,allows of a complete or a loose coupling by causin it to protrude or engage more or less into t e res. It is advisable to employ the loose coupling for the front vehicle when trav at a great speed in a straight d1rec tion. e rear member is always com pletely cou led.

The sing 0 central member could be sub-; stituted' by acombination of two or more single carts, cou led together by lmks attac ed to central? pivots and provided each with crank, sprocket wheel or the like gears formaintainingtheir axles in such OSltiOIl as to halvethe angle between the sa d links, according to the central element in the arentshownin the drawing. v

be of a conical instead of tooth shape. It is only necessary to couple together in the ordinary manner these members or elements connected-with each other in threes so astoformiatrain;

Havin now particularly described and ascertaine the nature of'my said invention and in whatmanner the same is .to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-

1. In a train-comprising single axle twowheeled vehicles connected to other by means of links attached to cent pivots so as to form'tri le elements, a guiding gear on the central veliicle of each triple ele'mentjor maintaining the axle of this central velncle in such a direction as to always halve the ancentral member.

the wheels shall always p 1 gle formed by thelinksiattached to its ivot, and means for displacing the rear mem er in an antiparallel manner with regard to the 2. In a train comprising single axle twowheele'd vehicles connected to ether by means of links attached to central pivots so as-to form tri le elements, a guiding ear for maintaining t e axle of the central ve '01s of each trilple element in such a position as to alve the angle between the links attached to its pivot, and a toothed ear engagingnthe central and the rear mem er.

a train comprising single axle two wheeled vehicles connected to other by means of links attached to central pivots so as to form .tri le elements, a guiding ear for maintaining t e axle of the central ve 'cle of each triple element in such a positiom as to always halve the angle between the links attached'to its-pivot, a slidable toothed bolt onthe central vehicle and a corresponding repose on the rear vehicle for engaging the central and the rear member.

.4. In a train comprising single axle twowheeled vehicles connected to other by means of links attached to central pivots so as to form triple elements, a guiding gear for maintaining the axle of the central vehicle of each tri e element in such a position as to always h vs the angle between he attached to its ivot, a slidable toothed bolt at each end of the central member and a corresponding recess on each end member of the triple element. 1

, 5. In a train comprising single axle twowheeled vehicles connected to other by means of links attached to centr pivots so as to form triple elements, a gui gear for maintaining the axle of the centr vehicle or each triple element in such a position .as to always alve the angle between the links attached to its ivot, a slidable toothed bolt at eachend o I the central member and a correspon recess oneach end member of, the triple e ement, the toothed bolts being":

pivot, that these links always form equal angles with the, axle of the said vehlcle.

7. In a train compris single axle twowheeled. vehicles connec dmeans of links attached to cent pivots so as to form triple "elements, two s rocket wheel gears symmetrically arrange in de- 130 tggether by a e. in such connecion with the links attached to its central.

- metrical to the central pivot.

with the links at symmetrical points.

pendency of each other on the two sides of the central pivot of each central vehicle and connected with the links at points sy-m- 8. In a train comprising single axle two-- Wheeled vehicles connected to ether by means of links attached to central pivots so 5 as to form triple elements, two longitudinal shafts arranged on both sides of the central vehicle, two sprocket wheels on each shaft, symmetrically arranged to the vertical cross plane throu%h the central pivot, the wheels ts being opposite to each other,

posite wheels, which chains are connected 9. In a train comprising single axle two- Wheeled vehicles connected to ether by means of links attaehed't'o centra pivots so j as to form triple elements, two sprocketi wheel gears symmetrically arranged in d.e- 1 pendency of each other on the "central element, the chains of which are attached to l ieces' which are free to rotate on the links 1 1n ahorizontal direction and are also slidable ilrthe longitudinal direction. l

p 10. In a train comprising single axle twowheeled vehicles connected to ether by means of links attached to centra pivots so as to form triple elements, slidable guides on the central member for the purpose of allowing the central member to execute a movement in a vertical direction when traveling over rough roads, substantially as described.

11. In a train comprising single axle twowheeled vehicles connected to ether by means of links attached to central pivots, so as to form manifold elements, a uiding gear on'each of the middle vehicles oi each manifold element for maintaining the axles of the middle vehicles of each manifold element in 1 such a position as to always halve the angle I between the links attached to their pivots, F and a toothed gear engaging the last of the middle members and the rear member of each manifold element.

SIgned at Berlin, Germany, -il11S 24th day of January 1908.

RICHARD JONAS. \Vitnesses HENRY llAPER, Wotnmmn HAUPT. 

